Rochelle Bilal Will Likely Become First Black Female Sheriff in Philadelphia

Rochelle Bilal, a former policewoman and civic leader, defeated two-term Philadelphia Sheriff Jewell Williams by more than 20,000 votes in the Democratic primary on May 21. She will become the first elected Black female sheriff in the 181-year history of the office.

Bilal defeated two sheriff’s deputies who were vying for the office, according to The Philadelphia Citizen. Bilal is a 27-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department, who worked in the sex crimes and drug trafficking units. She later became public safety officer for Colwyn Township, where she managed the police and fire departments. Bilal is president of the Guardian Civic League, a Black police advocacy group and secretary of the local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Bilal, 61, has never run for public office before; she ran on a platform of restoring integrity and community confidence in the office. Williams,…

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